Geography for Life

Description
In Geography for Life students will explore the world around them. Using the six essential elements established by the National Geographic Society students
will be able to grasp both the basic elements of geography and the more advanced concepts of how humans interact with each other and the environment.
Course Overview
Course Objectives
Students should:
have a deeper understanding of the world in
which they live.
have a greater sense of geographic literacy.
appreciate the interdependence of people
and the diversity of cultures.
be able to describe the relationship between
people and the environment.

Essential Questions
What are the relationships between people
and their environments?
What does it mean to be part of a global
community?
What does a geographer do?


Assessments
Common Assessments
Island Project

Skill Assessments

Content Outline
I. Spatial Terms
II. Places and Regions
III. Physical Systems
IV. Human Systems
V. Environment and Society
VI. Uses of Geography


Standards
National Geographic Standards
The World in Spatial Terms
Places and Regions
Physical Systems
Human Systems
Environment and Society
The Uses of Geography
Grade Level Skills
Students be able to:
utilize basic geography skills.
group data in categories according to
appropriate criteria.
compare and contrast.
identify cause and effect in specific events.

Grade 7 Geography for Life BOE Approved 05/26/2009 1

Pacing Guide
1st Marking Period 2nd Marking Period 3rd Marking Period 4th Marking Period
September October November December J anuary February March April May J une
Unit 1

Spatial Terms


6 weeks
Unit 2

Places and Regions


5 weeks
Unit 3

Physical systems


6 weeks
Unit 4

Human Systems


8 weeks
Unit 5

Environment and
Society

6 weeks
Unit 6

Uses of Geography


4 weeks

Grade 7 Geography for Life BOE Approved 05/26/2009 2

Unit I - The World in Spatial Terms, 6 Weeks top
Standards
The World In Spatial Terms
Geography studies relationships between people, places, and environments by mapping information about them into a spatial context.
1. How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
2. How to use mental maps to organize information about people, places, and environments in a spatial context.
3. How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth's surface.

Unit Objectives
Students will be able to:
define and identify and explain the Five
Themes of Geography and apply them to
ones own personal geography.
identify and utilize the various map
components.
identify and compare advantages and
disadvantages of various map projections
and globes.
analyze and interpret various types of maps
to collect, compile, and organize
geographic information.
organize information about people, places,
and environments by using mental maps.
analyze the spatial organization of people,
places, and environments on the Earths
surface.
explain the difference between cardinal and
intermediate directions.
Essential Question
How do you view the world?

Focus Questions
What are the Five Themes of Geography?
How do geographers display information
about the Earth?
What are the main components of
maps/globe?
How do mental maps give us a sense of the
world around us?
Why are things where they are?

Assessments
Island Part I
Vocabulary assessments



Skill Objectives
Students will:
incorporate geographic vocabulary into
class discussion and in written responses.
(See Glossary)
generate a list of main ideas for
geographers tools.
find the distortion of size, shape, and
distance on a map.
choose when to use appropriate map
projections for a given task.
use and calculate scale.
find exact locations using a global grid.
use legend/key to identify what symbols
mean on a map.
label the cardinal directions on a map.
draw a political map of a region.
label physical features on a physical map.
use satellite software (ex. Google Earth).
construct mental maps of selected locales,
regions, states, countries, or continents.
use a road map to give directions between
points.
Grade 7 Geography for Life BOE Approved 05/26/2009 3

Unit II - Human and Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions, 5 weeks top
Standards
Places And Regions
The identities and lives of individuals and peoples are rooted in particular places in those human constructs called regions.
4. The physical and human characteristics of places.
5. That people create regions to interpret earth's complexity.
6. Low culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions.

Unit Objectives
Students will be able to:
identify the physical and human
characteristics of places.
identify the characteristics and types of
regions around the world.
understand that people create regions to
interpret the Earths complexity.
identify and explain the cultural
universals that affect all people.
understand that culture and experience
influence peoples perception of places
and regions.

Essential Question
How do places and regions help us to
gain a better understanding of the world
in which we live?

Focus Questions
How do you describe a place?
How do you relate various places to
each other?
What is culture?
How does your culture affect your view
of the world?
Assessments
Island Part II
J ournal Entry: What is your perception of the
Nacerima after reading just one article?
J ournal entry: What is the other group like?
J ournal entry: Does ethnocentrism have a positive or
negative connotation?
J ournal entry: Give three examples of when you
needed to consider viewpoint in your life.
Create a Venn Diagram (columns not circles)to
explain the difference between national and cultural
identity
Using formative assessments (one minute essays,
hand signals and index card summaries/questions to
check for student understanding of the key
vocabulary words in the unit
Read one of two articles about an Attack on the
Congo River and write a newspaper article about
what took place. The responses will then lead to a
discussion on viewpoint

Skill Objectives
Students will:
name and locate major bodies of water, major
mountain ranges, major river systems, countries,
and major cities on a selected continent.
categorize characteristics of places in terms of
whether they are physical or human.
list various regions around the world.
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categorize regions in terms of whether they are
formal, functional, or perceptual.
give examples of how places and regions change
over time.
give examples of various cultural characteristics
of ones own culture and others.
give examples of culturally important places in
their life and how they are perceived by others.
give examples of culturally important places of
their cultures and how they are perceived by
oneself.

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Unit III - Physical Systems, 6 weeks top
Standards
Physical Systems
Physical processes shape Earth's surface and interact with plant and animal life to create, sustain, and modify ecosystems.
7. The physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth's surface.
8. The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface.

Unit Objectives
Students will be able to:
identify and examine the physical
processes operating in the Earths
atmosphere.
identify and examine the physical
processes operating in the Earths
lithosphere.
identify and examine the physical
processes operating in the Earths
hydrosphere.
identify and examine the physical
processes operating in the Earths
biosphere.
identify and compare the characteristics
and locations of ecosystems.

Essential Question
Is the earth alive?

Focus Questions
What are the physical systems of the
earth?
How does the earth and sun affect the
physical processes on the earth?
How do ecosystems work?
How do physical processes produce
change in the ecosystems?
How do human activities influence
change in the ecosystem?
Assessments
Create a childrens book to emphasize the
relationship between the sun and the earth
Write a report explaining the importance of ocean
currents and wind patterns on an areas climate
Island Part III


Skill Objectives
Students will:
list forms of erosion.
state how erosional agents produce landforms.
describe ocean currents and ways they affect the
climate.
compare regions of the world with similar
physical features.
connect earth/sun relationship to weather
phenomena (hurricanes, tornadoes, floods etc.).
map with precision the occurrence of earthquakes
on Earth over a given period and draw
conclusions concerning regions of tectonic
instability.
describe the processes that produce fossil fuels.
find regions with potential for hydroelectric power
and agriculture based upon topographical and
climate maps.
describe the effects of weather phenomena on the
physical environment.
explain how and why ecosystems differ from
place to place.
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explain an ecosystem in terms of their
characteristics.
explain the ability an ecosystem has to withstand
stress caused by physical events.
list geographic reasons for geysers to
hydrothermal vents.
explain the impact of human s within a given
ecosystem.
explain how humans can interact with the
ecosystem in different regions of the world.
recall Earth/sun relationships including reasons
for seasons.
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Unit IV - Human Systems, 8 weeks top
Standards
Human Systems
People are central to geography in that human activities help shape Earth's surface, human settlements and structures are part of Earth's surface, and humans
compete for control of Earth's surface.
9. The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human population on Earth's surface.
10. The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics.
11. The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth's surface.
12. The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement.
13. How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence human control of Earth's surface.

Unit Objectives
Students will be able to:
describe the structure of different
populations through the use of
demographic concepts.
analyze population characteristics of
places to explain population patterns.
explain migration streams over time.
identify ways in which communities
reflect the cultural background of their
people.
describe and explain the patterns of
cultural diffusion in the creation of
cultural mosaics.
analyze and evaluate issues related to
the spatial distribution of economic
activities.
identify factors involved in the
development of cities.
explain the causes and consequences of
urbanization.
explain why people cooperate but also
engage in conflict to control the Earths
surfaces.
Essential Question
Can all countries be successful?

Focus Questions
How are human populations distributed
on the earths surface?
How has cultural diffusion affected
places and cultures?
Why is there a need for global
economic interdependence?
Why do humans live where they do?
Why are there problems with the
political divisions of land?
Assessments
Island IV Island IV
Interpreting various maps
Creating various maps and graphs including
population density, population pyramids
Create a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting
developed vs. developing countries
Short answer description of an example of cultural
diffusion and its impact on an areas culture
Vocabulary assessments
Skill Objectives
Students will:
list demographic concepts.
organize information in a population pyramid.
identify reasons for patterns on a population density
map.
identify causes and effects of migration.
explain how physical barriers can impede the flow
of people.
explain how people can overcome physical barriers.
list places that have been altered by human
movement.
describe landscape features and cultural patterns of
migrant populations.
define cultural diffusion and explain its affect on an
Grade 7 Geography for Life BOE Approved 05/26/2009 8
areas culture.
compare and contrast developed and developing
countries.
map international trade routes (current and historic).

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Grade 7 Geography for Life BOE Approved 05/26/2009
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Unit V - Environment and Society, 6 weeks top
Standards
Environment And Society
The physical environment is modified by human activities, largely as a consequence of the ways in which human societies value and use Earth's natural
resources, and human activities are also influenced by Earth's physical features and processes.
14. How human actions modify the physical environment.
15. How physical systems affect human systems.
16. The changes that occur in meaning, use, distribution and importance or resources.

Unit Objectives
Students will be able to:
examine ways that people in different parts
of the world have adapted to their physical
environment.
identify human caused threats to the natural
environment.
identify and understand the potential of a
physical environment to meet the needs of
humans and the limitations of the same
environment.
analyze examples of changes in the
physical environment that have reduced the
capacity of the environment to support
human activity.
analyze world patterns of resource
distribution and utilization, and explain the
consequences of use of renewable and
nonrenewable resources.
identify ways in which occurrences in the
natural environment can be a hazard to
humans.
evaluate ways in which technology has
expanded the capability of humans to
modify the physical environment.
Essential Question
Do we control the earth or does it control
us?

Focus Questions
How do humans modify the physical
environment?
How do physical systems affect human
systems?
How does the worldwide distribution and
usage of resources affect our society?
Assessments
Map resources
Compare and contrast resources of different
regions
Analysis of renewable and nonrenewable
resources by region



Skill Objectives
Students will:
list ways that humans adapt to the
environment.
define carrying capacity.
list the challenges of carrying capacity.
find affects that technology has had on the
environment.
find the value of resources in the current
market.
research and compare a conflict over
resources in the past and today.

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Unit VI - The Uses of Geography, 4 weeks top
Standards
The Uses Of Geography
Knowledge of geography enables people to develop an understanding of the relationships between people, places, and environments over time--that is, of
Earth as it was, is, and might be.
17. How to apply geography to interpret the past.
18. How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.

Unit Objectives
Students will be able to:
understand the importance of bringing the
spatial and environmental focus of
geography to study the events of history.
understand that the events of history take
place within a geographic context.
understand that events in history are
motivated by peoples perceptions of
geographic context.
understand that the geographic approach
helps to explain why events did happen a
particular way but not necessarily why they
must have happened.
create geographic questions and analyze
their answers.
analyze and reach an informed decision
about an issue.

Essential Question
Is understanding geography essential to
understanding history?

Focus Questions
How does geography affect events from the
past?
How will geography affect the future?




Assessments
Prediction for future geographic trends.
Geographic questions for peers



Skill Objectives
Students will:
list pros and cons.
write geographic questions.
research two sides of an issue.
create a pro/con chart.
list geographic obstacles create geographic
questions about an issue.
thoroughly answer their questions with all
options presented.